Ask Me Help Desk - Do you think there is a god?

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Originally Posted by workerbee

Which God are speaking of?

Agdistis, Ah Puch, Ahura Mazda, Alberich, Amaterasu, An, Anat, Andvari, Anshar, Anu, Aphrodite, Apollo, Apsu, Ares, Artemis, Asclepius, Athena, Athirat, Athtart, Atlas, Baal, Ba Xian, Bacchus, Balder, Bast, Bellona, Bergelmir, Bes, Bixia Yuanjin, Bragi, Brahma, Brigit, Camaxtli, Ceres, Ceridwen, Cernunnos, Chac, Chalchiuhtlicue, Charun, Cheng-huang, Cybele, Dagon, Damkina, Davlin, Demeter, Diana, Di Cang, Dionysus, Ea, El, Enki, Enlil, Epona, Ereskigal, Farbauti, Fenrir, Forseti, Freya, Freyr, Frigg, Gaia, Ganesha, Ganga, Garuda, Gauri, Geb, Geong Si, Hades, Hanuman, Helios, Heng-o, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Hod, Hoderi, Hoori, Horus, Hotei, Hestia, Huitzilopochtli, Hsi-Wang-Mu, Hygeia, Inanna, Inti, Ishtar, Isis, Ixtab, Izanaki, Izanami, Jesus, Juno, Jupiter, Kagutsuchi, Kartikeya, Khepri, Ki, Kingu, Kinich Ahau, Kishar, Krishna, Kukulcan, Lakshmi, Liza, Loki, Lugh, Magna Mater, Marduk, Mars, Medb, Mercury, Mimir, Minerva, Mithras, Morrigan, Mot, Mummu, Nammu, Nanna, Nanna, Nanse, Nemesis, Nephthys, Neptune, Nergal, Ninazu, Ninhurzag, Nintu, Ninurta, Njord, Nut, Odin, Ohkuninushi, Ohyamatsumi, Orgelmir, Osiris, Ostara, Pan, Parvati, Poseidon, Quetzalcoatl, Rama, Re, Rhea, Sabazius, Sarasvati, Shiva, Seshat, Seti, Shamash, Shapsu, Shen Yi, Shiva, Shu, Si-Wang-Mu, Sin, Sirona, Surya, Susanoh, Tawaret, Tefnut, Tezcatlipoca, Thanatos, Thor, Tiamat, Tlaloc, Tonatiuh, Toyo-Uke-Bime, Tyche, Tyr, Utu, Uzume, Venus, Vesta, Vishnu, Vulcan, Xipe, Xi Wang-mu, Xochipilli, Xochiquetzal, Yam, Yarikh, Ymir, Yu-huang, Yum Kimil, or Zeus.

And more importantly, why?

workerbee

Nice God list, dude!

[QUOTE=sassyT]

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Originally Posted by jillianleab

They should re-name the book The Richard Dawkins Delusion. :rolleyes:

Well that was rude of you.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

This is exactly what I mean. Non-Christians couldn't care less about Job, and probably have no clue about him. The above paragraph goes on and on, rambles and uses all those words and phrases that so easily turn off a non-Christian. Very few people will read what is in that paragraph. Those who do would say the same thing, so you are preaching only to the choir.

Saying "Ok your not getting it" to a non-Christian is one of the worst things a Christian can do. Talk about turnoff!

Take that Gospel message and personalize it. Make it yours. Roll it around in your heart and wrap it up inside your own situation. Apply it to your own life. Only when the Gospel is in your bones and part of how your mind works will you be able to speak it so that non-Christians will listen and be interested.

Ok Job was just a point of reference. I was giving non-christians the benefit of the doubt by assuming that they have educated themselves and made an educated decision on behalf of their beliefs, then decided to just not believe it. Your right I guess most of them have not read this book. My mistake..

I didn't mean "ok your not getting it" as OK their not getting the idea of God. I meant they were not getting just the point I was trying to make. At the same time why should I sugar coat my belief? To not infringe on someone else's comfort zone? I have not heard you once do as you are saying "personalizing the gospel" So I wonder who is preaching to the choir? I'm not trying to be combative, I applaud your efforts in not wanting to "turn off" non christians. This was not my intentions, but being passionate about christ is not a fault I am willing to accept.
My story is not one people are comfortable hearing so I guess not to be a hypocrite I'll tell you. You doubt the fact I have "rolled it around and made it part of my bones". I assure you this has been my everything in life and the reason I am not dead right now. By "this" I mean Gods LOVE!
This should sum it up... it goes further back than me but that is a good place to start ". I watched my sister get shot and killed right in front of me with a 12 gage shot gun at close range, just to give you a visual. I had kind of an "out of body experience" at that point. She looked down, looked up at me, and fell to her knees. She said "Mommy I don't want to die" Then she said something I will never forget she said" I see the angels, it's OK Mommy I'm going to be with Jesus" I ran to my Grandmothers house down the street to get help. I remember praying to the Lord all that night asking him please don't take her, not her, Jesus ,I'll do anything, I'll be good forever what ever it takes Lord, just not her....well next thing I remember we got the call. Elizabeth was dead at 9 years old! I didn't understand it! When I went to bed that night I asked the Lord to give me peace tell my why this was happening to us. I needed to know. ( I always have had dreams about things that were going to happen and etc.) Well that night I didn't get the answers I was looking for, I got something better...her!! In this dream, not your regular dreams, vivid and bright and my senses where keener, ...young men will have dreams old men will have visions...it's in the bible..again point of reference ) she came to me and said she was sorry for having to leave so fast, but where she was going was great! It was with Jesus! She wanted me to be sure and take care of Daddy and it was important that I tell him how much she loved him(i didn't realize the point of this until later) Then she kissed me and left with the angels. She was so radiant and so beautiful! I woke up and just cried....

I didn't have another encounter with her until I was at her funeral. I was standing outside for a bit of fresh air and then there she was with Jesus. She said to him "my daddy is singing a song just for me... doesn't he sing pretty? Lord, why is he crying? Doesn't he know where I am, with you? "Then it was over..
At this point in my life I was still young and rebellious. I knew I loved God, but wasn't living the "christian life".
Then after Elizabeth died all "hell" broke loose. My parents where hurting and wrapped up in their own sadness and grief, and my brother's situation (who, if you didn't figure out yet, was the one playing with the shot gun that killed my sister) That Clyde, my step grandfather, saw this as his opportunity to allow me to be his "pray". I was rapped by him for many years.. I will not go into detail for my own sanity.. Yes, my Daddy finally realized something was going on just by the way i acted around Clyde. I hated him and was mean and ugly. I felt like I couldn't tell them because I didn't want them to hurt anymore. So I thought if I could just "deal" with it and eventually It would just "go away". I was just a little girl and didn't know any better. They thought it was just teenage rebellion, but eventually they realized something was going on with their baby girl.

Yes we went to court and that was an experience in it self. I was smart though, I left clues behind during the attacks just incase "one day" happened. It was a hung jury by 1 juror and I refused to go back to court. I just wanted to get on with life. My parents respected my decision. During this entire process I clung to Jesus. Knowing through this entire ordeal that there was some reason all of these things had happened.

I praise God daily for the Daddy I had. If it weren't for him I don't know what I would have done. He loved the Lord too, but struggled most of his life and blamed God. He wouldn't allow God's healing and love to take hold of him. Mostly because he didn't feel like he deserved it, he blamed himself for everything. He lived in constant limbo of this and always felt condemned. The best way to describe my Father simply is this: he loved hard, Laughed hard, cried hard and lived hard. He was a beautiful man!

My brothers' life was a sad story. He had to live with what he did and did not seek God. I remember one thing he once said. It scared the hell out of me.. he said "I made a deal with the devil in exchange for my soul, I want to live "happy" here on earth." I wouldn't recommend making any deals with the devil! He was murdered at 20 by a phyco, aids infected killer with nothing to loose. All over a tattoo my brother wasn't willing to give him.The devil is a liar a cheat and a murderer. I pray God had mercy on his soul.

The dream of my brother...
It was about a year ago my brother came to me in a dream which I thought was a little odd. Because I haven't dreamed of him since he went. I had always been worried about the fate of his soul.. and never got any real answers. In this dream he was scared and alone. He said he came just to know if I blamed him for the life he lived and that he knew now, Jesus was where he should have looked..he was also worried about one of my children. He couldn't look me in the eyes and he was so sad.. I couldn't get too close to him even as much as I wanted to hug him, touch him and hold him. It seemed he wasn't in heaven or hell, but somewhere in between.. when I looked up and the dream was over.
I know this might freak some christians out, but there are things we do not understand

My Father died a year and a half ago....
My Father pretty much died of a broken heart. The Lord took him home so as to not endure anymore of this life..I still see him...

Now if you think I didn't struggle with all of this and I went on thinking all is fine, I'm a perfect little christian, I never question God, I feel no resentment and I was always grateful.....well that's for sure wong!

I struggled, I blamed , I was mad ,angry, resentful and basically pissed off! I didn't feel I deserved any of this. It seemed, to me, God had deserted me. He wasn't the God I thought he was...all of this made me question "who is God really? " and it wasn't until then, that I got my answers....

My suicide...
I decided one night I didn't want to live anymore. I was ready for the end. I prayed I asked God if I were to decide to end my life, would he still bring me home. I thought if Dad could will himself into dying then why can't I. I felt I had nothing left. I didn't feel I was good for my children or anyone else for that matter. What could I offer them? I was scared, used and abused. (I was a christian at this time.) So that night I took a bunch of pills and downed a bottle of Captan Morgan, something that was definitely not the norm for me. When I started to fall a sleep I felt my body slip away.
I wasn't sleeping. You know that point where your body is very still but your conscious is awake? Well at that point the room was all of the sudden illuminated... I saw my Father he started to show me flashes his life and then he showed me flashes of what his life would have been if he would have just allowed God to change it... This was quick, less than about 20 seconds. All of a sudden there stood Jesus, he was glorious , beautiful, Loving and kind. All I could do was cry in his presents and fall at his feet. I felt his love and sadness for his lost people. It was the most amazing love, nothing I have ever felt before... He told me I would go to heaven if I left now, but I would not be fulfilling the plan he had for my life. Then he began to show me glimpses of my future..A life I could have,..If i chose,...and what I would miss out on,..and who I would be hurting. He than lifted my chin and i said "yes Lord I want to go back, for you lord. I want to please you Heavenly Father." I couldn't stop crying. The next thing I remember was my Father showing me what his last breath was like, as if I were him at that last moment... the angels on both sides of me were waiting to take me to heaven... I could see them... and then I took one last breath,. that was when everything ended and I was back in my room. All I could do was weep and praise God for his wondrous ways and unfailing love for his people...

We will all get to this point at some time in our lives our another. It is at that point, when we decide which way we will go. With the Lord by my side, I had to relive all of this and tear down walls, rebuild and redefine who I was, What I was created for and Heal all of my past wounds. I praise God for his mercy, grace and love and I realize now that none of these things I have been through will have been in vain. The Lord has been blessing my life richly and I will continue to seek his face and Glorify him. I hope my story was worth sharing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Check out the Gospels and the Two Greatest Commandments for God's plan.
.....And the greates of these commandments is LOVE. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all of your soul and all of your mind Love your nieghbors as yourself. There is no other commandments greater than these...Yes I know Read Matt 12:29-31

Sometimes? not all the time?

But you don't know. Romans 11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord....?

Yes I know. He also says his thoughts are greater than ours, but when you have a personal relationship with him he just reveals some things to you .
So it's better to be dead? My father almost ran over me when I was 3. Should I have been killed so I didn't end up with an autistic child?

So those who loved the Lord and who died in pain and agony, chewed up by lions or in an earthquake, weren't as beautiful? A peaceful death shows God loves that person more?

No I never said just because he dies peacefully meant that God loved him more Those where your words. My sister was killed with a 12 gage and my brother was beaten with a marbled piece of wood. Does that mean God loves them any less.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Check out the Gospels and the Two Greatest Commandments for God's plan.

Sometimes? not all the time?

But you don't know. Romans 11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord....?

So it's better to be dead? My father almost ran over me when I was 3. Should I have been killed so I didn't end up with an autistic child?

So those who loved the Lord and who died in pain and agony, chewed up by lions or in an earthquake, weren't as beautiful? A peaceful death shows God loves that person more?

... And the greates of these commandments is LOVE. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all of your soul and all of your mind Love your nieghbors as yourself. There is no other commandments greater than these... Yes I know Read Matt 12:29-31

No I never said just because he dies peacefully meant that God loved him more Those where your words. My sister was killed with a 12 gage and my brother was beaten with a marbled piece of wood. Does that mean God loves them any less.

Yes I know. He also says his thoughts are greater than ours, but when you have a personal relationship with him he just reveals some things to you .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I'm going to jump off your off-topic comments and ask you to think about the story of Abraham. Whether it was true or not, whether God talked to him or not, think of the story as something like one of Aesop's fables. What truth is being taught in the story?

Are you asking me what the moral of the story is? Good question... I learned about it in Catechism, but I'm not sure I remember.

What I always took out of it (back when I was a believer), was the extraordinary faith and obedience Abraham had for God, that he was willing to sacrifice his only son for Him. I guess I also took solace that God jumped in at the last minute to say, 'just kidding!'. Back then I was naïve enough to think this showed God's compassion. But that was before I was willing to look at the bible objectively...

I now realize that under any circumstance this is an insanely cruel prank to play on somebody who loves, trusts, and worships you (not to mention the unspeakable terror the child went through). I now also realize that zero respect should be given to Abraham for following such heinous orders. Again, we don't hold people like Andrea Yates in any high regard. She claims God told her to kill her children. Are YOU OK with that wondergirl?

I'm sure there's a moral that I'm missing and you can point it out to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobrobster

Are you asking me what the moral of the story is? Good question... I learned about it in Catechism, but I'm not sure I remember.

What I always took out of it (back when I was a believer), was the extraordinary faith and obedience Abraham had for God, that he was willing to sacrifice his only son for Him. I guess I also took solace that God jumped in at the last minute to say, 'just kidding!'. Back then I was naive enough to think this showed God's compassion. But that was before I was willing to look at the bible objectively...

I now realize that under any circumstance this is an insanely cruel prank to play on somebody who loves, trusts, and worships you (not to mention the unspeakable terror the child went through). I now also realize that zero respect should be given to Abraham for following such heinous orders. Again, we don't hold people like Andrea Yates in any high regard. She claims God told her to kill her children. Are YOU ok with that wondergirl?

I'm sure there's a moral that I'm missing and you can point it out to me.

I have one question... If there is no God.. what is our purpose in this life and why should we hope for anything? Well I guess one more question... Do you believe in an evil entity? Or the opposite of god, but not equal too?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobrobster

Are YOU OK with that wondergirl?

No, I'm not. Andrea Yates has been diagnosed as mentally ill.

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I'm sure there's a moral that I'm missing and you can point it out to me.

It's not so much a moral as a bigger story with cultural implications than just the scary little story that you've described.

Human sacrifice was a fact of life among the cultures in the ancient Near East. The central idea in the Abraham-Isaac story is that of substitution--of an animal sacrificed in the stead of and on behalf of a human. What is especially interesting about this sacrificial situation is that Abraham readily and willingly went from human to animal sacrifice in response to "an angel of the Lord [who] called out to him." In other words, Abraham obeyed a moral directive from the only source of moral authority.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeseeandjoel

I have one question...If there is no God..what is our purpose in this life and why should we hope for anything? well i guess one more question...Do you believe in an evil entity?? or the opposite of god, but not equal too?

I know you directed this at lobrobster, but I'd like to comment, if you don't mind.

Your question assumes there is a bigger purpose to our (humans) being here. It assumes we are "meant to be", not that we "just are". My purpose in life is to be a good friend, wife, daughter, sister, and (eventually, maybe) mother. My purpose in life is to do what I can to make this world better for the people who will live on beyond me. Hope still exists, just not perhaps the way you think of it - I don't hope I will go to heaven and not hell; the thought never crosses my mind, actually. But I hope for a good, long, happy life, and do things to make my life good, long and happy. I do that because it makes my existence better, it makes me feel like a better person, like a contributing member of society. I don't do it to get in good with a higher being, I do it for me. For an atheist, this life is all there is, we need to spend our time wisely because when we die it's over.

As far as an evil entity, no, I don't believe in one, and you'll probably find most atheists don't. In general (by definition) atheists don't believe in any supernatural beings; no gods, no devils, no demons, no spirits, no ghosts, and so on.

The next question most people ask is where an atheist gets his/her morals from; I'll go into that if you ask, but I'll spare you if you don't care to know. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillianleab

The next question most people ask is where an atheist gets his/her morals from; I'll go into that if you ask, but I'll spare you if you don't care to know. :)

Give us a hint -- say, two or three words.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeseeandjoel

I have one question... If there is no God.. what is our purpose in this life and why should we hope for anything? Well I guess one more question... Do you believe in an evil entity? Or the opposite of god, but not equal too?

I think jillianleab explained it well and I don't have too much to add except: There's one more very important point that is often overlooked... Even if belief in God DID provide hope, that doesn't mean God exists! This is a critically important piece of logic that is too often misunderstood by believers. Atheists tend to care mainly about what is true. Not what makes them feel better. If you had a terminal illness, you would probably feel better if your doctor told you it can be treated. You would no doubt feel better, but it wouldn't change the truth of the matter.

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Do you believe in an evil entity? Or the opposite of god, but not equal too?

Again, jillianleab said it well. I am an equal opportunity disbeliever. Contrary to what many theists think, most atheists have nothing against God. They simply don't believe in things that fly in the face of what we know about our physical world and cannot be substantiated in any way. That includes devils, ghosts, astrology, numerology, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Humans have always wanted someone bigger than they are to blame, to thank, to ask for favors and help, to love, to look up to. Throughout the ages, that someone has usually been called God (or gods).

Wow, I don't mean to sound condescending, but you got this part right wondergirl. Why not just take the next logical step and concede that it was our past need to place blame for things we could not understand, that we 'invented' the concept of god? In other words, why did the volcano erupt and wipe out entire villages? We angered the Volcano God. Why did a tsunami kill tens of thousands along the coast for as far as the eye can see on a clear, sunny, day? The God of the sea was angry.

It's easy to see how man created god. Not the other way around. You start making a very astute observation, but somehow get derailed. What derailed you?

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Whose god is the right god? God is unknowable and indefinable. God doesn't belong to any particular religion, and can't be fenced off or put into a box or plugged into a certain set of circumstances. God is too big for that. All a religion does is define God for its own purposes and help people relate to and understand God.

I also didn't' realize you understood this. I guess you learn a lot if you keep reading people's posts. I did have you wrongly pegged. Not that you'd care, but I can take you a little more seriously now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobrobster

It's easy to see how man created god. Not the other way around. You start off making a very astute observation, but somehow get derailed. What derailed you?

I don't think I've gotten derailed. When you've lived as long as I have, you may see things differently than you do right now. I know MY ideas have changed over the years. I lately have been chewing on the idea that man invented the devil as a cop-out and to avoid personal responsibility for wrongdoing--"The devil made me do it."

I just started a new book by Rodney Stark, Discovering God. It talks about much of what this thread is about. I'll let you know how it goes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

God could prevent my dying tomorrow, but why should He? He put the forces of Nature to work in our lives and doesn't interfere with them. Earthquakes and tsunamis and monsoons and e. Coli and MRSA and heart attacks and cancer kill people. Could He save everyone? Sure He could! Does He? No.

Wait a minute, I learn more and more. You don't believe in miracles?! My point is this...

Say God knows he will be ending the world next Thursday. Is there any circumstance in which He could prevent Himself from doing so? If so, He is not omniscient after all. His knowledge that the world was ending Thursday was wrong. If He was right, then He is not omnipotent, since He did not have the power to prevent it from happening.

I'm not trying to be funny or difficult. Even I think questions like 'Can God make a square circle?', are silly. But I don't think my question is silly. It seems self-evident that omniscience and omnipotence are necessarily incompatible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I know MY ideas have changed over the years.

And that in a nutshell is the difference. We are not even having the same conversation. You are speaking of ideas, while I am discussing only what is likely to be true or false.

I'm sure my ideas on things will change as time goes on. But if I live to be 80, I hope to aways be rational and able to use logic in forming my view of the world.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobrobster

Wait a minute, I learn more and more. You don't believe in miracles?!! My point is this...

Say God knows he will be ending the world next Thursday. Is there any circumstance in which He could prevent Himself from doing so? If so, He is not omniscient after all. His knowledge that the world was ending Thursday was wrong. If He was right, then He is not omnipotent, since He did not have the power to prevent it from happening.

I'm not trying to be funny or difficult. Even I think questions like 'Can God make a square circle?', are silly. But I don't think my question is silly. It seems self-evident that omniscience and omnipotence are necessarily incompatible.

You are thinking like a human being. Oooops! You are a human being!

As I said before, God is so huge and so far beyond our knowing that we cannot begin to imagine who he is and what he can do. Your questions immediately put him into that nice little box and you wrap up the box with your limited ideas (human version) of omniscience and omnipotence. Meanwhile, you are painting yourself into a corner with what you consider logic and reason. Stop! Let God be God. Don't try to figure him out and pin him down as to how he thinks. Like the Psalmist wrote about him, "Be still, and know that I am God."

And no, omniscience and omnipotence are not incompatible. Remember my M&M story?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobrobster

And that in a nutshell is the difference. We are not even having the same conversation. You are speaking of ideas, while I am discussing only what is likely to be true or false.

I'm sure my ideas on things will change as time goes on. But if I live to be 80, I hope to aways be rational and able to use logic in forming my view of the world.

I pride myself on being logical and rational. I've had many years of school in a number of disciplines, so I consider myself well-educated and well-read. I even work in a library. It doesn't get any more broadening than that!

You say I'm speaking of "ideas," so what are you speaking of? Aren't you talking about your own ideas of truth?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillianleab

I know you directed this at lobrobster, but I'd like to comment, if you don't mind.

Your question assumes there is a bigger purpose to our (humans) being here. It assumes we are "meant to be", not that we "just are". My purpose in life is to be a good friend, wife, daughter, sister, and (eventually, maybe) mother. My purpose in life is to do what I can to make this world better for the people who will live on beyond me. Hope still exists, just not perhaps the way you think of it - I don't hope I will go to heaven and not hell; the thought never crosses my mind, actually. But I hope for a good, long, happy life, and do things to make my life good, long and happy. I do that because it makes my existence better, it makes me feel like a better person, like a contributing member of society. I don't do it to get in good with a higher being, I do it for me. For an atheist, this life is all there is, we need to spend our time wisely because when we die it's over.

As far as an evil entity, no, I don't believe in one, and you'll probably find most atheists don't. In general (by definition) atheists don't believe in any supernatural beings; no gods, no devils, no demons, no spirits, no ghosts, and so on.

The next question most people ask is where an atheist gets his/her morals from; I'll go into that if you ask, but I'll spare you if you don't care to know. :)

Your answer also assumes we "Just are" and aren't "meant to be". Let me ask another question. The stuff you cannot see, but feel, where does that come from? As intricate as this world is your are going to tell me it was just happened by chance?
My Hope is not limited to "I hope I will go to Heaven". What about the things that you have no control over, like getting cancer or a car accident. Also how do atheists explain miracles and please don't deny there are any, they happen every day. I'm sure most people have experienced one or another in their lifetime.
One more thing just to clarify "doing good" just to get in with a Higher being, I know him as God, Isn't what I believe. Once again, to sum God up in one word it would be... love. I want to Love him and I want to Love other people. God isn't up there with a tali of how many good deeds you do in his name, actually he despises it.
I just cannot accept that this is all this life is.. I know better.. having experienced it myself. Having said that you will now probably call me crazy, but it's to be expected. Since you don't believe in supernatural happenings.

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LONDON (AFP) - Albert Einstein described belief in God as "childish superstition" and said Jews were not the chosen people, in a letter to be sold in London this week, an auctioneer said Tuesday.

Belief in God 'childish,' Jews not chosen people: Einstein letter - Yahoo! News
I tend to agree with the honest super geniuses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobrobster

I think jillianleab explained it well and I don't have too much to add except: There's one more very important point that is often overlooked... Even if belief in God DID provide hope, that doesn't mean God exists! This is a critically important piece of logic that is too often misunderstood by believers. Atheists tend to care mainly about what is true. Not what makes them feel better. If you had a terminal illness, you would probably feel better if your doctor told you it can be treated. You would no doubt feel better, but it wouldn't change the truth of the matter.

Again, jillianleab said it well. I am an equal opportunity disbeliever. Contrary to what many theists think, most atheists have nothing against God. They simply don't believe in things that fly in the face of what we know about our physical world and cannot be substantiated in any way. That includes devils, ghosts, astrology, numerology, etc.

This "critically important logic" you are talking about, that for some reason you think as a believer I have over looked, does not apply to most believers. Here is why, belief in God does provide hope, however, God doesn't ever just leave you hanging.. it doesn't stop at that point. He continues to manifest and he makes himself known in your life! He says always give a reason for why you hope.. if I didn't have any reason ,yes, I would be illogical. If you give him a chance and it doesn't work out, what's the loss? Atheism will always take you back.